NANS Issues 14-Day Ultimatum to Govt over New Tax Law

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the President Bola Tinubu-led federal government to suspend the planned implementation of the newly introduced tax reform laws.

The students’ body explained that the implementation process was fundamentally flawed, poorly communicated, and constitutionally questionable.

In a statement released on Monday and signed by its national president, Olushola Oladoja, NANS raised concerns ahead of the January 1, 2026 commencement date for the laws, citing poor public enlightenment and alleged alterations to the version passed by the National Assembly.

The association warned that failure by the relevant authorities to heed its demand within 14 days would leave it with no option but to commence coordinated nationwide protests.

“Failure of the relevant authorities to heed this call within fourteen days will leave NANS with no option but to commence coordinated nationwide protests,” the statement said.

While noting that it supports reforms that are fair and people-oriented, NANS said it would resist policies imposed “without trust, clarity, or due process.”

According to the association, Nigerians are poorly informed about the content, scope, and long-term implications of the new tax reform laws.

The student body said the situation has fuelled fear among citizens already grappling with economic hardship.

“Nigerians are grossly poorly informed and insufficiently enlightened about the content, scope, breadth, impacts, and long-term implications of the new tax reform law.

“A reform of this magnitude requires extensive public education, clarity, and trust-building mechanisms, of which none have been adequately provided,” it further read.

The students’ body also accused the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) of failing to carry out inclusive nationwide sensitisation, describing its approach as elitist and disconnected from the realities of most Nigerians.

“It is a shame that FIRS has failed woefully in its responsibility to design and execute an effective, inclusive, and nationwide public enlightenment process,” the statement read.

NANS criticised the reliance on social media influencers for sensitisation, arguing that such an approach excluded large segments of the population who are not active on social media platforms.

Beyond issues of public enlightenment, the association expressed concern over claims by the House of Representatives that the gazetted tax laws may differ from the versions passed by lawmakers.

“This development, if true, raises serious constitutional and legislative integrity concerns. A law whose authenticity is under investigation cannot, in good conscience, be implemented,” NANS said.

It, therefore, demanded an immediate postponement of the implementation until comprehensive nationwide sensitisation is carried out and the National Assembly concludes its review.

Recall that Mr Tinubu had signed four tax reform bills into law, described by the government as the most significant overhaul of Nigeria’s tax system in decades.

The laws include the Nigeria Tax Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, all operating under the Nigeria Revenue Service.

The reforms had earlier faced stiff opposition from some federal lawmakers, particularly from the North.

Controversy intensified after a member of the House of Representatives, Abdussamad Dasuki, alleged discrepancies between the tax laws passed by the National Assembly and the versions later gazetted.

Mr Dasuki said lawmakers’ legislative rights may have been breached, insisting that the content of the gazetted laws did not reflect what was debated and approved by the House.

The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has also called on the federal government to halt the implementation of the laws pending the resolution of the alleged alterations.

However, chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has insisted that the January 1, 2026 implementation date remains sacrosanct, saying the reforms are designed to provide relief to Nigerians.